Nutcracker



Nov. Z9, 1927. 1,650,681 W. T. ANDERSON NUTCR'AGKER Filgd April e. 1926 v l NVENTOR WIV/lm 'f/lnderson ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 29, 1927..

. tasti WILLIAM T. ANDERSON,

or Tun-sa, OKLAHOMA.

NUTCRACKER.

Applicant 'filed` April 6,

This invention relates to nut crackers and the object of the `invention is to provide a construction which will crack nuts of various sizes. f

`Another object of the invention is to provide .in such construction a cracking .devicey which will adjust itself automatically to the size of the nut to be cracked.

Another object of the invention is to provide the `nut cracking yelements withan enclosed cracking hood whereby injury to the personusing the device is prevented, Veither from the flying broken particles of the nuts or from pinching the lingers' during the cracking operation.

Another objectof the invention is to prolvide a means cooperating with the crack* ing device for supporting a receptacle for the crushed nuts adjacent an opening in the closed head, thereby preventing any unnecessary lit-ter when using the nut cracker.

l accomplish the above, andother objects of the invention which will be apparent as the description proceeds, by means of the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of the nut cracker which is the subject of this invention, the interior construction of the cracking parts and the adjusted position of the operating' means being shown in dotted lines;

F ig. 2 is a iront elevation of a portion of the nut cracker, and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. l

On the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts on all the figures thereof, l indicates the elongated casting which forms the main body of the device and constitutes the support for the cracking elements. The casting 1 is provided with a hollow cracking head 2 having an opening in the top thereof, in which opening is detachably mounted the funnel 3 through which the nuts to be cracked are dropped.

One end of the cracking head is closed and provided with a depression or groove l in which one end of the nut is adapted to rest. 'lhe opposite end of the cracking head is provided with an opening through which the plunger 5 is adapted to pass when the device is operated. e

The plunger 5 is provided with a screw 6 or similar protuberance, which rides in a curved slot 7 Vformed in the operating han- 192.6. serial infiamma.

dle 8 which is pivotedlto the` casting l. `The screw 6 is preferablyprovided with a gasket of ordinary construction in ordelwto ,eliminate unnecessary Jfriction. The handle v8 constitute :the operating means 4for `the plunger, the slot 7 being of such 0form with relation vto the pivot for thememlbqer 8 thm the plunger will be reciprocated ,during the pivotahmovement of the operating handle.

Theplunger is provided wthagroovevo'r depression 9 on its inner .face whichcooperates zwith the Ygroove or depressionfl ori-the cracking Ahead to position, the nut ,during the fcrushing operation. j i

The ,lower front of the .cracking .head iS open and provided with Ya. Aspring hinged trap .door l0, the opposed interior race of the .head and thehinged door being of curved formationto support the body of the nut and tohold-it in position to be crushed between the head and the plunger.

The casing l isprovided with a hollowed out ,portion or `tray 11 into which the nuts willdrop when theztrapdoor is open.

The door and yplunger are each lprovided with projections l12, 13 respectively, and the casing with an eyelet 14, these elements providing mountings for a cord 15 whereby the plunger and the trap door will be simultaneously operated.

l/Vhile I have shown a flexible cord connecting the plunger and door, it is obvious that other mechanical equivalents may be substituted therefor within the purview of my invention. It is only necessarythat there be a direct operative connection between the plunger and the door.

The nut cracker is provided with suitable means for attaching it t0 a table or similar support, this means consisting of an arm 16 forming a part of the casing and the screw 17 a table or similar` support may thus be clamped between the casing and the screw, as is apparent. l

The operation of the device is as follows:

The cracker being in position upon the support, a nut is dropped into the hop er, passing down therethrough and into he interior of the cracking head until it is stopped between the jaws of the plunger and the head. The operating handle is then moved on its pivot until the plunger is in position to be properly centered between the plunger and head. Operation ofthe handle to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 lwill force the plunger against the nut and lflO crush it. The operating handle is then moved upward on its pivot thus reciprocating the plunger'in the opposite direction, releasing the nut. This reciprocation of the plunger lifts the trap door through the mcdium of the cord and the nut passes out into the trap portion of the casing.

In order to receive the nuts as they pass from the tray, a hook 18 is provided on which may bejliung a basket, a bucket or other suitable receptacle.

It is thus seen that I have provided a ,simple and effective nut cracker, composed of few parts but one which will operate to crush 'the nuts of different sizes with minimum eliort. It will also be seen that` the nut is entirely enclosed during the crushing operation so that there will be no flying particles which might prove annoying an dan erous, and 'that there will be no danger Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is Yl. In a device of the class described, a casing, said casing having an enclosed cracking head, said head having a discharge opening and a 'unnel filling opening, a closure for said discharge opening, a plunger reciprocating in said hcad,a positive connection between said plunger and said closure, said plunger and said head being provided with depressions for supporting the nut to he crushed, a handle provided with a curved slotpivoted to said casing, means on said plunger cooperatingivith said slot whereb movement or' the handle in one direction wi l reciprocate the plunger to crush the nut and movement in the opposite direction will open the closureto discharge the crushed nut.

In combination, a supporting base, an enclosedcracking head carried by said base, a plunger in said head for cracking nuts, said head being provided with a discharge opening in the lower portion thereof, a normally closed door for said opening, means directly connected to said plunger and said door whereby movement of the plunger to inoperative position opens said door, said hase having a portion extending in front of and below said discharge opening constituting a receptacle Support.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM T. ANDERSON. 

